My Hero Academia: Hoshi Akiyama
by fantasy1213
Summary: Hoshi Akiyama, for lack of better words, is a bit of a mess. She has a Quirk she hates, and a life that she has yet to be happy about. Against all odds, she succeeded into UA High School, where she joins the class 1-A under Mr. Aizawa. There, she will learn whether she is the hero she dreams of becoming or the villain she fears she already is.
1. Chapter 1: The First Day

_Author's Note:_

_Hi there! Before you begin reading, I feel like I need to mention a couple of things._

_One: this was made only for fun, but honestly I love this show a lot. So, I tried to respect the material as much as I could. I also tried to respect Japanese culture as much as I could, but as I am not from Japan, I may sound ignorant in regards to some things. I apologize in advance if I offend anyone. I greatly admire Japanese culture, and I would honestly love to learn more. The internet only tells me so much._

_Two: In my version, Sato does not exist. I am sorry if you're a Sato fan. I have nothing against the Sugar Man, but it was easier than adding a 21st person to the class. That's not a fun number to divide. Really, blame the creators for not putting him in the story more. He deserves some of the spotlight, too!_

_Three: Making a superhero OC is really hard because you want to make them OP as possible, but that's not interesting. Character growth is long and tedious and kicking butt is so much more fun to write. I don't honestly believe my character should outshine anyone else (especially the main protagonists of the show) but it does get a little boring to write if your character doesn't really do anything. So sometimes, I squeeze my character into situations that might not make sense for her to be in. I tried to make it work, but it does look like sometimes I want her to be the best. She is not the best. She's kind of a mess as a person. But, if I didn't think she was important or influential, I wouldn't have created her. Does that make any sense? I don't know; I'm extremely biased towards her now! _

_Point is, this is all in good fun! I write fanfiction as a way to relax because for some reason documenting every piece of dialogue and action for hours is fun for me. Figured, if I spent so much time doing it, I should at least share a bit. Maybe you guys will like Hoshi too?_

_Either way, I hope you enjoy!_

– _Author_

_(Also, any art you see is done by me, but it's not my strong suit. And I probably won't do it often. Also for some color, I did add a screenshot of the UA Building. That's obviously from the show. Okay, enjoy c:)_

My name is Hoshi. I am a hero, someone who saves people and fights evil. I've spent all my life feeling like I was part of the evil that was corrupting my world, and perhaps I had a good reason. I sure didn't know at the time; I guess call it a hunch. But, either way, this is my story. It began the moment I stepped into U.A. High School.

I arrived at the classroom before anyone else, partially because I had no reason to procrastinate my arrival. The room was still dark. I turned on the lights and looked at the chairs. 20 of us. 19 other people I would meet. 1-A. The Hero Course. The idea of people didn't entirely scare me. It was more the fear that they would be scared of me.

I sat at my desk – the second row, farthest back – hoping my nerves would calm down eventually. I have always enjoyed sitting in the back, but I hadn't decided if I wanted to change that in high school. Because it was all new, I could change. I could be… better. My eyepatch started to vibrate, and I began violently rubbing it.

"Stop!" I muttered to myself, "You can't be out." I pulled out my notebook and began doodling to distract myself. Usually the vibrating stopped if I didn't think about it too much, like hiccups. I became so lost in trying so hard not to think that I hardly noticed the rest of the class trickling in. Their conversations began so slowly I couldn't tell when people actually started talking.

"Hi there," Someone said next to my face, "That's a funny drawing. What is it?" I locked eyes with a girl that had rather round eyes. She was short, too.

I couldn't remember how to talk. "Oh, um, just… random stuff that came to my head. You know, pointless doodles. Wasting lead. That sort of thing."

She smiled. "You're funny, _ribbit_. My name is Tsuyu Asui."

I smiled back. "Hoshi Akiyama."

"Akiyama? I saw you made it into the top ten at the entrance exam."

My eye widened, and I blushed, feeling my eye socket warm up. "Oh, yeah. Crazy, huh?"

"You're the one who made 2nd place?" Two people from the front of the class hurried to my desk, their eyes shining with excitement. It was a girl and a guy, and the girl had little tan horns and pink skin. The guy had spikey blonde hair with a black streak. I grabbed my notebook to make room for them leaning over my desk.

"I guess we weren't in the same arena, because I would have remembered a Quirk that got into the top ten. What is it?" The guy asked.

The girl slapped the back of his head. "You can't just start off the conversation with that! You have to make a good impression. But, seriously, I bet you're really talented. Promise you won't go easy on us, okay?" I looked from one to another, unsure of what to say. I don't usually get any attention.

"Back off, you two. Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable?" We all turned to see one of the taller classmates loom over us, the tint of his glasses' hiding his eyes. "Now, get to your seats. The class will be starting soon."

The girl waved him off. "Yeah yeah, we're going. We're going. We heard your name is Akiyama, right? Hoshi? I'm Mina Ashido, and that's Denki Kaminari. Nice to meet you!" They, along with Asui, moved back to their seats, and I sighed in relief.

I smiled at the other student. "Thanks for that. What's your name?"

"Tenya Iida," He responded, "And it is my duty to help my fellow students in need of peril." He stood so straight I felt like an ant.

I managed a chuckle but slowly slid back in my seat. _Wow, this is a colorful bunch. Maybe I should have talked to more of them at the entrance exam instead of hiding._

Iida eventually turned around and found something else to yell about. There was a guy sitting near the front left corner of the room, but he had his feet on top of his desk.

"Take your feet off of that desk now!" Iida yelled at him.

The guy grinned back. "Huh?" My head perked up. I remembered that voice. He was in my arena.

"It's the first day, and you're already disrespecting this academy by scruffing school property, you cretin!"

"You're kidding me, right? Your old school put a stick up your ass? Or were you born with it?" I almost snapped my pencil. Who did this guy think he is?

Iida was clearly offended by the comment, but he tried to keep his temper. "Let's start over." He gestured towards himself. "I'm Tenya Iida from the Somei Private Academy."

"Somei, huh?" The guy replied, still grinning, "So, you must think you're better than me. I'm gonna have fun tearin' you a new one."

I growled to myself. "That guy is a jerk."

"You always did hate bullies, Hoshi." The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I heard that voice from the left of me, but I couldn't bring myself to turn my head. It couldn't be…

"It's him," Iida said calmly. Everyone had their attention towards a student at the door. He was shorter, with large eyes and freckles. His green hair was a mess. I didn't recognize him, but it seemed like the rest of the class did. People began to mutter, and the student looked like he wanted to hide. It drew in my curiosity.

He looked away and quickly said, "Uh, hi."

Iida walked up to him. "Good morning! My name is Tenya Iida from–"

"Yeah, I-I know," The anxious student responded, "I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's super nice to meet you."

Midoriya. It was a nice name. I looked back down at my desk, pulling my bangs over my eyepatch. No one had asked about it yet. But then again, I could see a student with a piece of fabric over his mouth. I wouldn't ask him about it unless I knew him. It was the same with my eyepatch, right? No one would ask about it unless they knew me.

Right?

There was another pause to the conversation at the front of the room. Iida and Midoriya were looking towards a girl with soft, happy eyes and a short haircut. But, she wasn't looking at them. She was looking at the hall, and that's when I noticed someone was there. It was Shota Aizawa, our teacher. He looked tired with unkempt long, black hair and baggy eyes. He was in a yellow sleeping bag.

He exchanged a couple of words with the trio and then turned to the rest of us. "Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa. Your teacher." A gasp echoed through the room, and I slouched in my seat. He fumbled through his sleeping bag and pulled out a blue, white and red tracksuit. "Alright, let's get to it," He said unenthusiastically, "Put these on and head outside."

As everyone got up to grab their things, a student with spiky red hair walked up to me. "Akiyama, right? You're the one who beat me by a point."

I blushed. This was Ejiro Kirishima. I remembered his name on the list. He got 3rd place. "Oh, well I mean it was one point, so it definitely doesn't mean I'm better than you or anything–"

He held out his hands. "Hey hey, it's okay. I was actually going to congratulate you. I heard that your Quirk was really good."

I ducked my head down. "I should get to the locker room. Bye, Kirishima." I darted out of the room before he could make another comment.

"A Quirk Assessment Test?" Everyone responded to Mr. Aizawa's comment in unison. We were standing in a group outside the school building in our PE clothes. I pulled at my jacket, feeling the zipper scratch against my chin.

The kind-eyed girl spoke up, "But orientation! We're gonna miss it!"

He replied, "If you really wanna make the big leagues, you can't waste time on pointless ceremonies." Many students were taken aback. He continued, "Here at UA, we're not tethered to traditions. That means that I get to run my class however I see fit. You've been taking standardized tests most of your lives. But you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before." He held up a phone, showing 8 different tests. "The country's still trying to pretend we're all created equal by not letting those with the most power excel. It's not rational. One day, the Ministry of Education will learn."

He turned to the jerk. "Bakugo, you managed to get the most points on the entrance exam. What was your farthest distance thrown with a softball when you were in Junior High?"

"Sixty-seven meters, I think," Bakugo replied.

"Right. Try doing it with your Quirk." Mr. Aizawa tossed him a ball and directed him to a chalk circle on the ground. He added, "Anything goes – just stay in the circle. Go on. You're wasting our time."

Bakugo stretched his arm. "All right, man, you asked for it." His beginning form was calm, but as he swung his arm, his face tightened, and he screamed, "Die!" Explosions erupted from his arm, and the ball shot through the air like a bullet.

"Woah," Midoriya muttered next to me as the wind from the throw picked up some dirt.

"You should have seen him during the entrance exam," I replied, "Like a firecracker."

As we watched Bakugo's ball, Mr. Aizawa said, "All of you need to know your maximum capabilities. It's the most rational way of figuring out your potential as a pro-hero." He held up his phone.

"Woah, 705 meters," Kaminari gasped, "Are you kidding me?"

Ashido clapped her hands together. "I wanna go! That looks like fun!"

Another student added, "This is what I'm talkin' about, usin' our Quirks as much as we want!" Other people agreed.

Mr. Aizawa didn't change his dark expression. "So this looks fun, huh?" He asked, "You have three years here to become a hero. You think it's all gonna be games and play time?" He smiled for the first time. "Idiots. Today you'll compete in eight physical tests to gauge your potential. Whoever comes in last has none and will be expelled immediately."

I took a step back. "What?"

"Like I said, I get to decide how this class runs. Understand? If that's a problem, you can head home right now."

I tightened my fists. I couldn't back down now, not when I got this far. I made it to UA. I can't give it up for some anxiety.

"You can't send one of us home!" The girl exclaimed, "I mean, we just got here! Even if it wasn't the first day, that isn't fair?"

Mr. Aizawa replied, "Oh, and you think natural disasters are? Or power-hungry villains? Hm? Or catastrophic accidents that wipe out whole cities? No, the world is full of unfairness. It's a hero's job to try to combat that unfairness. If you wanna be a pro, you're gonna have to push yourself to the brink. For the next three years, UA will throw out one terrible hardship after another at you. So, go beyond. Plus Ultra-style." He gestured to us. "Show me it's no mistake that you're here. Now then, we're just wasting time by talking. Let the games begin."

Test One: 50 Meter Dash. When Mr. Aizawa explained the rules, I retreated to the back of the group in order to concentrate. I had to use my Quirk, that was for sure. But, how?

_Minimal exposure,_ I thought,_ Just feet. At the last minute. Nothing more._

The dash was set up as a race, though Mr. Aizawa was only considering each individual time. The competition helped, I guess. First up were Asui and Iida. Iida had special PE pants that stopped at his knee caps, as his calves were covered with exhaust pipes. He had engines in his legs, which allowed him to speed through the 50 meters easily. I remembered hearing about a pro-hero with a similar ability, but his engines were in his arms. I wondered if they were related.

Asui, on the other hand, leaped like a frog to get to the finish line. It reminded me of a frog, which was probably what her Quirk was. Despite their size, frogs have a wide range of abilities. I wondered which ones she had. Iida finished in 3.04 seconds while Asui followed with 5.58 seconds.

Next, it was the girl from earlier. I learned her name was Ochaco Uraraka. She smiled as she tapped her clothes. "I'll just lighten my clothes. Oh, and my shoes, too!"

_Her ability has something to do weight_, I thought. She was up against Mashirao Ojiro, a student with a rather muscular tail. He used it to push himself forward, finishing in 5.4 seconds while Uraraka finished in 7.15 seconds. She seemed happy about the score, exclaiming that it was better than middle school. I smiled. I enjoyed her optimism.

Ashido went up against Yugo Aoyama, who was wearing a dazzling belt. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he talked, "Nice attempts, _mon amis_. Both you're just not showing enough _panache_!" He turned away from the track, placing his hands behind his head. "Let your powers shine!" He exclaimed as a bright blue light shot from the giant gem in his belt. It pushed him back, sending him towards the finish line. He looked like he was going to beat Iida's score, but halfway through his beam stopped and he fell. He shot his beam one more time to get a time of 5.51 seconds. He tried to laugh it off.

Next, it was Midoriya and Bakugo. I was curious to catch a glimpse of Midoriya's Quirk. By the way everyone treated him, I assumed he had a great Quirk. Something huge. He was nervous walking up to the starting line. It reminded me of me. Was his Quirk like mine? I was surprised to see Midoriya simply sprint to the finish line, clocking in at 7.02 seconds. From what I could tell, he didn't seem to use any Quirk. Did I miss something, or did he unintentionally not use it?

Bakugo blasted his way to the finish line at 4.13 seconds. When he landed, he looked down at his smoking hands. "My power has more uses than anyone else's in this school." He glanced at a panting Midoriya. "Pathetic."

Mr. Aizawa looked up from his phone. "It would be unwise to dismiss your classmates so soon, Bakugo. Hoshi Akiyama and Toru Hagakure: you're next!" I began shaking. It was my turn.

"Hey! Akiyama! Good luck!" I jumped and realized a floating PE uniform was waving at me. That must have been Hagakure.

I managed a small smile and waved back. I walked up to the starting line, rubbing my fingers. As I reached down to untie my shoes, I could see them shake.

Bakugo, who was still at the finish line, groaned and crossed his arms. "Hurry up, you loser! If you're delaying because you have a bad Quirk, you better drop out now. I don't want the dead weight." I tightened my brow. He clearly didn't remember me. I quickly took off my socks and shoes and rolled up my pants. I leaned forward, pushing my eyepatch slightly up.

Don't mess this up, Hoshi.

At the sound of the buzzer, a purple-orange ball of fire slipped out from under my eyepatch. It sped to my feet, igniting them. I pushed myself forward, feeling the flames kick start my strength. It shot me through the course, past the finish line. I realized I couldn't stop – I wasn't extinguishing. And Bakugo was in my way. His smug expression turned to shock as it seemed like we were about to collide. I extended my right arm, grabbing his shoulder and swinging myself over him by pushing off it. I landed on my feet, with my fireball finally extinguishing my legs.

"Hoshi Akiyama: 4.06 seconds!" The timer exclaimed.

Bakugo muttered behind me, "So, you're the one from the Entrance Exam. Great." And stomped away. I winced, standing up and trying to straighten my leg. I didn't land on that correctly. My fireball tried to roam around, but I grabbed it and shoved it back into my eyepatch.

"You idiot," I muttered, "You weren't supposed to come out all the way. You know the rules." The fireball fought me, lighting my fingers on fire to keep me from putting it away. I groaned and forced it in, tightening my eyepatch against my head. The back of my fingers stung, and I pulled out anti burn cream from my pocket.

"Hey, are you okay?" Midoriya had been watching, but I didn't notice him until then. He watched me treat my fingers.

My face turned red, but I managed a chuckle. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Only the palm side of my hands and feet are fireproof. Weird, huh?" I thought he was going to ask more about the fireball, but Midoriya surprised me even more.

"Your Quirk hurts you, too? Is that where those scars are from?" He asked. I stopped and looked down at my fading pink scars scattered on my forearms.

I nodded. "Yeah, I sort of went over my limit during the entrance exam. But… I try to work around the issue. If my skin is going to burn, I'm going to make sure it's the least amount possible in order to get the job done. Sometimes you don't need to go 100%, you know?" I smiled and looked at him. Midoriya seemed lost in thought, perhaps to something I had said. I decided to let him think as I went back to treating my skin.

_Hoshi Akiyama. Quirk: Fireball. She has a sentient fireball living in her right eye socket. Though the two do not get along, the fireball listens to her commands. She can use its flames for mobility, attack, and defense. She can also ignite any visible part of her body, but not for long, as only the palms of her hands and feet are fireproof._

Test Two: Grip Strength. Mr. Aizawa shuffled us into one of the interior gym rooms and passed out bars. We shared this handheld bar in a group, passing it around once it registered our strength. I found myself in a group with two guys: the masked student and another with an black bird face.

I rubbed my arm. "Um, hi. I'm Hoshi Akiyama."

The bird student crossed his arms. "Fumikage Tokoyami."

"Mezo Shoji," The masked student nodded. I had to crank my neck to see up to his face; he was probably the tallest in our class.

"And I'm Dark Shadow!" I jumped to see a dark shadow creature pop out of Tokoyami's chest. It had the shape of a bird, but that was about it. Tokoyami handed it the grip bar, and it squeezed it for him.

"Woah, is he your Quirk?" I asked, my eye wide. Tokoyami nodded. Suddenly, my fireball slipped out from under my eyepatch and floated in front of Dark Shadow.

"Careful," Tokoyami muttered, "Dark Shadow doesn't do well with light."

I winced. "Sorry, sorry. It does that sometimes. Let me just–" I reached out to grab the fireball, but Dark Shadow cupped it into its hand. It was staring at my fireball. I would dare say it liked it.

Shoji picked up the grip bar it dropped. "Why are you so nervous?"

I sighed. "I'm just worried it's going to burn down something."

"Well, it seems a bit preoccupied, so I think it's okay." He gripped the bar with three of his hands, resulting in him squeezing 540 kilograms.

"Woah." My eye widened. "That has to be the best in the class."

Shoji chuckled and one of his other hands turned into a mouth. It spoke in a slightly higher voice. "Actually, I'm pretty sure I've gotten slightly worse than middle school. Here, Akiyama. Your turn." He handed me the grip bar.

I took a deep breath and turned to my fireball. "Hey, you. Get over here." The fireball whizzed to my hand, catching it on fire. I used its energy to grip the bar, giving me about 100 kg. It was good, but it could have been better.

After a couple more tests, we arrived to the ball throwing. With the flames covering my palm, I wall able to get roughly 400 km. Uraraka got the best throw as her weight Quirk allowed the ball to be thrown indefinitely. The phone read it as infinite.

I smiled at her as she walked back to the group. "Wow! Nice throw."

She rubbed the back of her head. "I kind of feel like I'm cheating. It's not like I had to throw the ball very hard."

"But Mr. Aizawa did say we could use our Quirk however we want. So, really, you were just following the rules." We both gave a small chuckle.

Midoriya was next, and he seemed nervous. He was almost shaking. Before he walked up to the circle I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You got this." I smiled. He seemed surprised that I said something, but he also took a deep breath. He walked up to the circle and stared at the ball Mr. Aizawa gave him.

Iida crossed his arms. "If Midoriya doesn't shape up soon, he's the one going home."

Bakugo turned to him. "Huh? Of course, he is. He's a Quirkless loser."

Iida gave him a surprised look. "He has a Quirk. Did you not hear about what he did in the entrance exam?"

"Huh?"

I crossed my arms. "He's got this." Uraraka nodded as well.

"How do you know?" Bakugo turned to me, yelling, "Did that pathetic worm say something to you, fireball?"

I rubbed my ear. "Shut up and pay attention. You're going to make me lose my hearing with your obsessive yelling." Bakugo seemed like he wanted to yell again, but he growled and turned away. I may not be good at using my Quirks, but I will stand up against bullies. Bakugo was all bully.

I turned my attention back to Midoriya. While I didn't know what exactly Midoriya was thinking, I had a particular hunch. It stemmed from the fact that he seemed curious about my burns as if he was surprised to see someone else get hurt from their Quirk. It made me wonder if he too gets hurt by his Quirk, and that's why he hadn't used it before.

Midoriya seemed confident in his throw, as he seemed to have swung with all of his might. It surprised me to see that the throw only went 46 meters. Even Midoriya seemed surprised. "What gives?" He asked, "I was trying to use it just now."

Mr. Aizawa's scarf began to raise as he replied, "I erased your Quirk." He walked forward, enveloped in the scarf. "The judges for this exam were not rational enough. Someone like you should never be allowed to enroll at this school."

"Wait, you did what to my–" He noticed something. "Ah! Those goggles. I know you! You can look at someone and cancel out their powers. The Erasure Hero. Eraser Head!"

A student asked the rest of us. "Eraser? Who's that?"

Asui responded, "Oh, I think I've heard of him. I think he works on the down-low."

Mr. Aizawa looked down at Midoriya. "You're not ready. You don't have control over your power. Were you planning to break your bones again? Counting on someone else to save your useless body?" I tightened my hand into a fist. I wanted to say something.

Midoriya took a step forward. "No! That's not what I was trying to do!"

He grabbed Midoriya with his scarf and pulled him closer. "No matter what your intentions are, you would be nothing more than a liability in battle. You have the same reckless passion as another overzealous hero I know. One who saved 1,000 people by himself and became a legend. But even with that drive, you're worthless if you can only throw a single punch before breaking down. Sorry, Midoriya. With your power, there's no way you can become a hero." He let go of him. "I've returned your impractical Quirk. Take your final throw. Hurry and get it over with." He walked away, leaving Midoriya defeated at the circle. I couldn't leave Midoriya standing like that.

"Midoriya!" I yelled over to him from the sidelines. Everyone looked perplexed. "Remember what I told you earlier! About my Quirk!" He looked confused for less than a second, but then suddenly it clicked. His face grew serious, and he nodded.

Iida looked nervous. "I hope he understood whatever you were trying to tell him."

I nodded. "He did."

Aoyama had wandered over to our little group and placed a hand on Umaraka's shoulder. "I'm here, _cheri_."

She gave him a blank stare. "Wait, who are you, again?" I hid a laugh behind my hand and pulled her away from him. She seemed grateful.

Midoriya readied his throw again, equally with the same amount of confidence, but when he threw the ball, it was like there was a jolt of energy that went through his arm. He screamed as he threw the ball with such energy it left rings in its path. All of us gasped as we watched the ball fly in the air. As everyone looked up in the sky, I noticed Midoriya. He was streaming tears as his right index finger began to turn purple.

"Midoriya: 705.3 km," The tracker read.

"Mr. Aizawa," He said to his teacher, holding up his hand, "You see? I'm still standing." I couldn't see Mr. Aizawa's face, but I imagined he was smiling.

"This kid…" He muttered to himself.

Bakugo was the only one who seemed not to take it so well. His hand released little explosions as he sprinted towards Midoriya. "Hey!" He screamed. "Tell me, you bastard! Tell me how you did that or you're dead!" Thankfully, he did not reach Midoriya before any of us could see him fulfill his promise. Because much to his disappointment, I'm faster than him.

I leaped between them and kicked Bakugo to the ground. He tumbled and rolled, but he was still determined to get to Midoriya. I released my fireball and lit up my palms, ready to fight. At that point, seeing that he was not going to rest, Mr. Aizawa released his scarf to Bakugo, keeping him at bay.

Bakugo looked back. "What? I had her! Why the hell is your damn scarf so strong?"

"Because it's a capture weapon," Mr. Aizawa responded annoyed, "Made out of carbon fiber and a special metal alloy. Stand down." He looked back at me. "Both of you. It'd be wise to avoid making me use my Quirk so much." His eyes turned red, and the fire extinguished from my hands. My fireball shrunk and stood still, not moving to my commands. "It gives me serious dry eye." He released Bakugo and closed his eyes. "You're wasting my time now. Whoever's next can step up."

I bowed slightly. "Yes, sir. I apologize for my actions." I glanced at Bakugo, who gritted his teeth in frustration. I grabbed Midoriya by the wrist and dragged him back to Iida and Uraraka.

She noticed his finger. "Ouch, is your finger okay?"

Midoriya replied quickly, "Sure. Fine!"

I looked around. "Hey, cover me. You, give me your hand."

Both looked at me confused. "What are you gonna do?" Uraraka asked.

I smiled. "Nothing bad. It'll help."

Iida butted his head in. "If you are doing something against school regulations, I have no choice but to notify Mr. Aiza–"

"Sh," I responded to him, "It's not breaking any school rules. I think. It's just something I don't want everyone to know, okay? Please, your hand." Midoriya slowly offered me his bad hand, and I pulled out my first-aid kit.

"You have a first-aid kit?" Uraraka asked, "In your pocket?"

I taped Midoriya's finger to his middle one. "I know some basic first-aid skills, and when you have a Quirk like mine's, it helps to know how to make injured limbs not grow worse. This should give you some relief until we finish all the tests."

Midoriya sighed. "Thank you."

"Well, I don't mind helping out. I just don't want everyone to think I can fix all their injuries. Besides, with our Quirks being so common, it seems smart to become allies."

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thank you for your advice, by the way. It really helped. Also, for facing Kacchan so quickly."

I looked over at Bakugo. "You're talking about firecracker, right? Don't worry. I know how to handle a bully. They don't scare me." I smiled widely. "I was happy to step in."

Eventually, we finished the rest of the tests, and I was growing nervous. Mr. Aizawa ushered us back outside for the conclusion of the test. "All right," He said, standing in front of us, "Time to give you your results. I've ranked you all from best to worst. You should probably have a good idea of your standing already. I'll just pull up the whole list. It's not worth going over each individual's score." I took a deep breath and glanced over at Midoriya. It didn't even look like he was breathing. I knew I would do okay, at least. But, he didn't score well on any category beside the ball throwing one. Would he be okay?

Mr. Aizawa pressed a button on his phone, and suddenly a bright blue screen with our names ranked appeared in front of us. First place was Momo Yaoyorozu, which was obvious. Her Quirk was all about creating things from her body – she had the advantage to create anything that would help her in all of the challenges.

Second place was Shoto Todoroki, and I felt my heart sink. That voice I heard wasn't in my imagination. Shoto was here. After almost ten years, I would have to face him. I glanced around, finding him in the back of the class. He looked almost the same since I last saw him, but his eyes. His eyes were low and crossed, and it seems like he has been like that for a while. I wanted to talk to him, but I wondered if he wanted to talk to me. It had been so long, and we ended on somewhat bad terms. It made my palms sweat.

Third on the list was Bakugo, then Iida, Tokoyami, Shoji, Ojiro, Kirishima. And me in 9th place, with Ashido right behind me. She hugged me. "Akiyama! We got in the top ten!" I managed a smile, but I was still reading the list. Uraraka managed to get 11th place, and Asui placed in 15th. My heart sank as I saw Midoriya's name at the bottom of the list. I looked over to him, his hand clutching his injured one. He seemed disappointed over anything else.

Mr. Aizawa shut off the screen. "And I was lying. No one's going home." He said so casually. Our mouths opened, shocked. He smiled. "That was just a rational deception to make sure you gave it your all in the tests." Some open mouths turned into surprised screams. Midoriya, Uraraka and Iida were the loudest of the bunch. I moved from person to person trying to calm them down. All three seemed like they were going to pass out.

Yaoyorozu looked over at us. "I'm surprised the rest of you didn't figure that out. I'm sorry. I guess I probably should have said something." Some of the others gave her stares as if to say she should have said something.

Sero turned to Kirishima. "That was pretty nerve-wrecking, huh?"

He smiled. "Nah, I'm always down for a challenge." I noticed Bakugo seemed upset like he was hoping someone would have left. That someone was probably Midoriya.

Mr. Aizawa said, "That's it. We're done for the day. Pick up a syllabus in the classroom. Read it over before tomorrow morning." He began to walk away but looked at Midoriya. "Midoriya. Take this and go have the old lady fix you up." Mr. Aizawa handed him a slip of paper. "Things are gonna be tougher tomorrow when your actual training begins. Make sure you're prepared." He walked off, leaving us to do whatever we wanted.

I sighed and stood back on my heels. Mr. Aizawa was intimidating to say the very least. But, I wanted to impress him. And if 9th place is where I'm starting, then I was going to have to make it work.

Later, as I was pulling my bag together to head out, Todoroki walked past my desk. He stopped and discreetly placed 1000 yen next to my notebook. I looked up at him, confused. He glanced at me and looked away. "Good to see you again, Hoshi," He muttered and walked out of the classroom. Uraraka noticed him and watched him leave the room. She then walked up to my desk.

"Hey, that guy used your first name. Are you two close?" She asked as I stuffed the money quickly in my pocket.

I shrugged and pulled on my bag. "When we were kids. But we haven't spoken in a very long time. I'm surprised he remembered me."

Her eyes widened. "Wow! And to think you guys ended up in the same classroom. Small world. Hey, are you heading out now? Wanna walk together?" I smiled and nodded. We walked out through the front and noticed Iida and Midoriya walking ahead of us talking.

"Let's go with them," She exclaimed and grabbed my hand. "Hey! Wait up, you two!" She called to the two boys, pulling me into a run. "Are you going to the station? We should all go together!"

They stopped, so it was easy to catch up. "Oh, you're the infinity girl," Iida said to Uraraka.

She smiled. "I'm Ochaco Uraraka. And this is Hoshi Akiyama. Let's see." She looked at Iida. "You are Tenya Iida. And you are Deku right? Midoriya?"

Midoriya was surprised. "Deku?"

I laughed. "Yeah, isn't that what Bakugo called you? During the fitness test, he said, 'Deku, you bastard!'"

Midoriya tapped his fingers together. "Uh, well, my name's actually Izuku. Deku's what Kacchan calls me to make fun of me."

Iida replied, "That's unsportsmanlike."

Uraraka rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, I didn't realize that! I'm sorry. But, you know what? I like Deku. It could make a great hero name! Plus, I think it sounds kinda cute."

"Deku it is!" He exclaimed, turning slightly red.

I chuckled. "Just like that? Weren't you saying that it was an insult?" He hid his face in embarrassment, and I couldn't help but laugh harder. Uraraka and Iida didn't seem to understand what was going on. We ended up continuing to walk down the street after that, the four of us chatting and exchanging numbers. It felt good to laugh with other people again. To feel like a kid. I didn't expect much on my first day, but this was better than I could have ever expected.

After saying goodbye to the others before the train station, I dipped into a convenience store to buy a bowl of instant ramen for dinner along with a water bottle. I took my food down the street to a bench hidden between two bushes. It was a bench I liked a lot, especially because no one seemed to come down this street. It all felt somewhat abandoned.

I sat on the bench, leaning back to feel some sort of warmth from the setting sun. I glanced around, and when the coast seemed clear, I released my fire ball. It hovered in front of me, staring.

I opened the ramen package. "So we made a couple of friends today. That's pretty nice." The ball didn't move. "Shoto and I are in the same class. I wonder if this means we can reconnect." I laughed as I poured water into the ramen container. "That's a nice thought." I used the fireball to warm up my bowl, cooking my ramen. "So, where should we hit tonight? The internet cafe a couple blocks down might let us sleep on the couch if we clean for them. Or, we could just hide in the library, though their floor isn't as comfortable." I continued listing off places with my fireball staring at me. I didn't think it could hear me, but it was nice feeling like I had someone to talk to. Anyone.


	2. Chapter 2: Battle Trial

After the kind of day we had on the first day, I was a little apprehensive walking into the second day. Unlike yesterday, this was our first real day of classes with the colorful teachers of UA. I call them colorful because they're all pro heroes. We started with literature with Cemetoss, then Grammar with Present Mic, Math with Ectoplasm, and finally Art with Midnight. By lunch, I felt like my head was going to explode. Middle school was much calmer.

Lunch in the cafeteria meant we got to see the other UA students. Though the school was known for its hero division, the school actually had other kinds of groups, including a general studies division. Seeing all the students together made me realize how big this school really was. I sat with some of the students from my class, trying not to smell their food too much. It made my stomach growl.

After lunch, there was some excitement in the air back in our homeroom classroom. It was time for basic hero training with the number one hero in the world: All Might.

His entrance to the room was quite a show. "I am here!" He shouted, leaning in through the door frame with his full hero costume on. "Coming through the door like a hero!" Everyone became very excited, myself included. Though I was not the biggest All Might fan, there was something about his presence. He was the #1 hero for a reason.

"I can't believe it's really All Might!" Kaminari exclaimed from his seat.

"So he is a teacher!" Kirishima chipped in as well, "This year is gonna be totally awesome!"

Asui asked, "Hey look – is he wearing is Silver Age costume?"

Ojiro smiled. "I'm getting goosebumps. It's so retro!" I smiled at everyone's reactions. It was cute.

All Might walked over to the podium. "Welcome to the most important class at UA High. Think of it as 'Hero-ing 101'. Here, you will learn the basics of being a pro. And what it means to fight in the name of good!" He began flexing. "Let's get into it! Today's lesson will pull no punches!" He pulled out a sign that said "Battle."

"Fight training!" Bakugo exclaimed excitedly from his seat.

"Real combat?" Midoriya and I asked at the same time.

All Might ignored us. "But one of the keys of being a hero is… looking good!" Shelves popped out from the wall, exposing 20 numbered briefcases. "There were designed for you based on your Quirk registration forms and the requests you sent in before school started." The excitement grew. "Get yourself suited up, and then met me at Training Ground Beta!"

"Yes, sir!" We exclaimed at once, and then he left. Once he was out of the room, we rushed to pull out our briefcases. Mine was 10, as that was my seat number. We made our way down to the locker rooms to change.

My costume was one of the less flashy ones, partially because I didn't have any inspiration for what I wanted to look like. I ended up with a dark violet bodysuit that went from my neck to my kneecaps, leaving my back, arms, and feet exposed. I needed the bare skin for my Quirk, but it made my scars from my previous burns more obvious. I also wore a utility belt with an attached cape.

Because I wear an eyepatch, I opted for a traditional black mask with a thick mesh over my right eye. It was thick enough that you couldn't see through it, but my fireball could pass through it. Overall, I wasn't upset with my costume design.

As we walked into the training grounds to meet with All Might, I felt like a pro hero surrounded by other pro heroes. The costumes brought out a lot of confidence.

All Might was waiting for us, smiling. "They say that clothes make the pros, young ladies and gentlemen, and behold, you are the proof! Take this to heart. From now on you are all heroes in training!" We stepped into the light, showing off our unique takes on our costumes. Some people, like Ojiro and Tokoyami, had simple outfits as costumes while others, like Aoyama and Bakugo, had extravagant designs. I would not be able to pull of grenade gauntlets.

All Might continued, "This is getting me all revved up. You look so cool! Now. Shall we get started, you buncha newbies?"

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Midoriya running up to catch up. He told me his outfit was made from his mom unlike the rest of our costumes, but he didn't tell me it was a… green bunny suit?

Uraraka turned around too. "Ah! Hey, Deku! Love your costume! Not too flashy, ya know? I should've been more specific about what I wanted. This bodysuit is skintight. Not really my style." I walked over to Midoriya and placed an arm around him as he seemed like he was about to explode from embarrassment. I gave Uraraka a thumbs up.

"You look great," I assured them. "Both of you."

"Now that you're ready," All Might continued, "It's time for combat training."

"Sir," Iida interrupted from under a heavy suit of armor, "This is the fake city from our entrance exam. Does that mean we'll be conducting urban battles again?" I looked around. He was right. It was the same arena. That brought back some memories. Painful ones.

"Not quite," All Might replied, "I'm going to move you two steps ahead. Most of the villain fights you see on the news take place outside. However, statistically speaking, run-ins with the most dastardly evildoers take place indoors. Think about it. Backroom deals, home invasions, secret underground lairs. Truly intelligent criminals stay hidden in the shadows. For this training exercise, you'll be split into teams of good guys and bad guys and fight two-on-two indoor battles."

"Isn't this a little advanced?" Asui asked.

He responded, "The best training is what you get on the battlefield! But remember, you can't just punch a robot this time. You're dealing with actual people now."

"Sir," Yaoyorozu asked, "Will you be the one deciding who wins?"

Bakugo asked, "How much can we hurt the other team?"

Uraraka asked, "Do we need to worry about the losers getting expelled like earlier?"

Iida asked, "Will you be splitting us up based on chance or comparative skill?"

Aoyama asked, "Isn't this cape_ trae chic_?"

"I wasn't finished talking," All Might growled in response and pulled out a handbook, "Listen up. The situation is this. The villains have hidden a nuclear missile somewhere in their hideout. The heroes must try to foil their plans. To do that, the good guys either have to catch the evildoers or recover the weapon. Likewise, the bad guys succeed if they protect their payload or capture the heroes. Time's limited, and we'll choose teams by drawing lots!"

"Isn't there a better way?" Iida asked.

Midoriya responded, "Think about it. Pros often have to team up with heroes from other agencies on the spot, so maybe that's the reason we're seeing that here."

I crossed my arms. "Besides, none of us have done real combat against other people before. Who knows which of us will actually be good."

Iida responded, "Yes, I see. Life is a random series of events." He bowed to All Might. "Excuse my rudeness."

All Might turned around. "No sweat. Let's draw!" We all drew. Team A was Midoriya and Uraraka. Team B was Todoroki and me. Team C was Yaoyorozu and Minoru Mineta, which he was too happy about. Team D was Bakugo and Iida. Team E was Aoyama and Ashido. Team F was Shoji and Koji Koda, a large but quiet student. Team G was Kaminari and Kyoka Jiro, a girl with aux cords hanging from her ear lobes. Team H was Tokoyami and Asui. Team I was Ojiro and Hagakure. And Team J was Sero and Kirishima.

I felt my hands clam up again. Of course, fate would put Todoroki and me together, which meant we would have to talk.

All Might put two hands into two boxes titled "Hero" and "Villain". "I declare that the first teams to fight will be these guys!" He pulled out two balls. A for "hero" and D for "villain". My eyes widened. Midoriya and Bakugo were fighting each other. Damn. 'Team A will be the heroes. Team D will be the villains. Everyone else can head to the monitoring room to watch."

"Yes, sir!" We responded and began heading over to the monitor room. I could see Midoriya was down, but I didn't know what to do. My fireball fell out of my mask and hovered next to me.

"Maybe… cheer him up a bit?" I asked the fireball. It whizzed over to Midoriya and spun around him. It exploded like a small firework in front of his face. He was surprised and looked at me. I gave him a small smile and whistled, calling the fireball back. He gave me a small smile back. I decided that was all I was going to get out of him, so I headed back to the rest of the group. At least I did something.

I walked up to the monitor room where we could see everything. All Might came in after a couple minutes, advising us to think about what we would do if we were in the situation. He stood there was clipboard, ready to grade.

We couldn't actually hear what was happening on the battlegrounds, just see it. We could see Midoriya, Iida, and Uraraka try to participate in the assignment. Bakugo, on the other hand, seemed like he was trying to look for Midoriya. He left Iida alone and fought Midoriya and Uraraka on his own. Midoriya knew his moves, however, as he was able to put Bakugo on the ground without using his Quirk. All of us cheered Midoriya on.

The battle was a lot because the two boys fought with so much anger and passion. It ended with Midoriya using his Quirk to punch through five floors and Uraraka leaping on the weapon, leaving the heroes victorious. And Midoriya was left on the floor, unconscious and with a hurt arm.

In the monitor room, we could not really grasp what happened. "What a weird way for this end," Kaminari commented, "The losers are practically untouched, and the winners are both on the ground."

Tokoyami closed his eyes. "How does the old saying go? They may've lost the battle, but they won the war."

I rubbed my head. "This class is intense." We watched as bots transported Midoriya to the nurse's office. I knew he would be okay in the long run, but that didn't stop me from worrying. It also didn't stop me from wanting to punch Bakugo in the face.

The three remaining people of battle came back with All Might to the monitor room. He announced, "Despite the results, the MVP of this exercise is Young Iida!" Everyone gasped.

"Shouldn't it be one of the heroes instead, since they're the winners?" Asui asked.

"Mm! Valid question. Why didn't I choose one of those two? Who has a guess?"

I shrugged and looked down. "Easy. Unlike the others, Iida was the only one who took the assignment as a real thing. Bakugo and Midoriya were clearly fighting for personal reasons, and they and Uraraka destroyed a lot of property. Everything was risky and careless, especially if this was a real scenario and the nuclear bomb was actually real." I crossed my arms. "On the other hand, although it was a bit scary at times, Iida was ready for his opponent and never lost sight of his mission. He fought hard, despite his loss." Iida seemed really happy with that comment. Everyone else, on the other hand, stared at me. I looked around at them. "What? I was just paying attention."

All Might seemed particularly impressed. "Yes… well… you overlooked a couple things, but otherwise, you nailed it!" He pulled out the boxes. "Now then. Time to blow this joint. Time to move on to the next match! Think about everything we saw and discussed as you tackle this training for yourself."

"Yes, sir!"

Match 2 was B vs I, which meant it was Todoroki and me vs Ojiro and Hagakure. We were the heroes. We stood outside the new building, waiting for the 5 minutes of prep time to be over. I leaned on the railing outside of the building.

I decided to make the first move. "So," I asked, trying to make a joke, "How fast do you want to win this?"

"As fast as possible," He replied coldly, "I want to get this over with." He didn't look at me.

I sighed. "Suit yourself, buzzkill." The buzzer went off, and our 15 minutes began. I walked to the open doorway and threw my fireball. I followed it as it sped through the building.

"Fourth Floor," I said to Todoroki, "Middle of the building. Only Ojiro. Hagakure shouldn't be too far away." I called the fireball back to me.

He walked into the hall. "Wait outside. I don't want to hurt your feet."

I waved him off. "I'm fine. Go ahead." He walked over to the right wall and placed a hand on it. From the right side of his body erupted ice. In no time, the entire building was covered in ice. I unleashed my fireball to my feet, keeping them warm.

We calmly walked up the stairs. "Are you okay?" Todoroki asked, "I thought you didn't do well in cold weather."

"Yeah, that is true," I replied, "But if I stay near your left side, the heat from your Quirk will keep me on my feet. You're like my own personal heater, Shoto." His eyes widened at the sound of his name, but he didn't respond. We made it to the room with the bomb, where Ojiro was stuck to the ice right in front of us. When he saw us, he tried to get into an attack position.

Todoroki said, "Pry yourself up if you want, but it might be hard to fight us with no skin on the bottom of your feet." I waited shivering at the doorway while he walked over to the bomb.

Once he touched the bomb, we could hear All Might shout, "The hero team wins!" With that, Todoroki released a wave of heat that rapidly thawed out the entire building.

Ojiro asked, "Heat too?"

Hagakure gasped at the feeling of the hot water on her feet.

Todoroki turned around. "It's not your fault. We're just playing on different levels." He walked out of the room.

I tried to bring humor back up. "Sorry about that. He's a little… tempered. Are your feet okay?" I helped the two of them sit on a box and examined their feet. Ojiro's seemed okay, but I could feel some irritation from Hagakure's soles. I pulled out my anti burn cream.

Hagakure tried not to giggle as I worked on her feet. Ojiro simply shook his head. "We didn't stand a chance."

I frowned. "Don't think down of yourself. Todoroki… Losing to him isn't a fair indicator on your skills."

He smiled. "Thanks, Akiyama." I smiled back. Together, we headed back to the viewing room. There, I watched the rest of the matches. It was interesting to see everyone's Quirks in use, though we were in bad shape as a class. Clearly, we needed the training.

At the end of all the matches, All Might took back us outside. "That's a wrap!" He exclaimed, "Super work. You really stepped up to the plate. And we didn't have any major injuries, except for Midoriya. You should be proud. Excellent first day of training, all around!" He extended a thumb up at us.

Asui replied, "It's nice to hear some encouraging words after our homeroom class." We all hung our heads thinking back to yesterday, nodding in agreement. "Mr. Aizawa was kind of a buzzkill."

"I'm happy to bring such staggering positivity to my alma mater!" He shouted back, "That's all for now, folks. I should go and check on Young Midoriya's progress! Now, watch how a pro exits. Like he's got somewhere to be!" And with that, he quickly dashed out of the training area.

Kaminari gasped. "Okay, you guys, that is a hero!"

"Aw, I'll never be able to run that fast." Ojiro sighed

Mineta covered his mouth. "Super awesome!"

Once all that excitement was over, everyone began making their way back to the school to change. Afternoon classes were quiet, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of Midoriya's desk. I hoped he was okay. I made copies of all my notes in order to give something to him. He deserved that.

Once classes were over, it was time for cleanup and afternoon activities. Usually, that meant clubs, but most of us used the opportunity to chat in the classroom. I exchanged numbers with Asui and Uraraka, and we got to know each other a little more. I made sure to be pretty vague about my life. We learned, however, that Asui wanted us to call her Tsu.

My fireball floated in between us, and Uraraka held it gently in her hands. "Gosh, he's so warm. And he's not burning my hands. He's so beautiful."

I laughed. "I wouldn't call it beautiful."

"Do you have full control over it?" Tsu asked.

I shrugged. "Kind of. It sort of does what it wants, but it'll listen to me when I give it commands. Most of the time."

"Like Dark Shadow…" Tokoyami muttered from his chair. We all looked at him. He didn't typically talk much, but we didn't know he was listening.

I managed a laugh. "Yeah, I guess." Uraraka excused herself because she and Kaminari were tasked to go grab some books.

The door to the classroom opened and Kirishima exclaimed, "Hey, it's Midoriya! Good to see ya back, super!"

We looked over and sure enough, Midoriya was standing at the doorway, still beaten and in his hero costume. He seemed surprised, especially when a lot of us crowded around him. Kirishima continued, "Man, I don't know what you were saying during that back. But you were all fire up, huh?"

Sero continued, "I can't believe you held your own against Bakugo – he's super strong!"

Ashido smiled. "You did a great job dodging!"

Even Aoyama added, "You were far from elegant, but I supposed–"

Ashido started jumping. "And the dodging was like, woah!" Midoriya took a step back, blushing from all the attention. People began introducing themselves and catching Midoriya up. All at once.

He managed eventually, "Um, hey, guys." Eventually, Mineta popped out of nowhere in that crowd. I backed up and joined Tokoyami, Ojiro, and Jiro.

Tokoyami sighed. "So noisy."

I responded, "Aw, they're just excited."

"Tokoyami!" Iida yelled from the other side of the room. "Stop using that desk as a chair! Get off of it this instant!"

Jiro replied, "Dude, you need to chill."

Ojiro added, "You're carrying a lot of tension."

I laughed. "Is everything okay, Iida?"

He sighed and slouched over. "No one understands. I cannot condone actions that disrespect these desks. Not when great men and women, our upperclassmen, once used them!"

"Also noisy," Tokoyami replied, causing the rest of us to laugh. Just then, Kaminari and Uraraka came back.

"So, anyway, wanna grab a bite sometime?" He asked her. "What kinda stuff you like?"

"Anything sweet…" She started but then saw Midoriya, "Hey, Deku!" She ran over to him, leaving poor Kaminari behind. Jiro and I laughed silently into our hands. She and Midoriya talked for a bit, but then they stopped. Midoriya asked where Bakugo was, and Uraraka explained that he left earlier. Without much left to say, he darted out the door, too.

Uraraka walked over to the window. "Hey, Midoriya and Bakugo are talking!" Tsu and I walked up to either side of her and watched the pair. At one point, both of them were yelling at each other. Bakugo tried to walk away, but All Might showed up and tried to talk to him. Bakugo in response walked off.

I sighed. "Huh, I wonder what that was all about."

Uraraka clenched her fists. "The fated battle between rivals."

Tsu responded, "Whatever Midoriya was saying, it looked like Bakugo really wanted to punch him."

"Childhood friends turned enemies!"

I pressed my forehead against the glass. "Those two are going to kill each other before midterms, aren't they?" We eventually headed back to our seats. It was time to get our stuff together. I dropped my notes off at Midoriya's desk.

"Hoshi," Todoroki grabbed my attention again. He walked up to my desk and handed me a bag. "For tonight." Before I could ask, he walked quickly walked out of the room. I glanced down at the bag. It had a change of clothes and food.

"Akiyama." My head darted to the front of the classroom. Mr. Aizawa had come back in to grab his stuff. I realized I was the last one. "What are you still doing here?"

"Oh, I," I stuttered, "Just got a little sidetracked. I'm sorry to keep you here."

He held out his hand. "Don't worry about it. Just get home before you get into trouble. I rather not have to deal with worried parents."

I smiled. "Of course! I'm sorry, sir. I'll go now." I tried heading out of the room, but Mr. Aizawa stopped me.

"Your fireball," He said, "Do you like keeping it out like that?"

I stopped and looked at it. "Um, I… I don't really care. But, it– it tends to get agitated if I keep it in my eye for too long."

He nodded. "I give you permission to keep it out at school, as long as it doesn't bother your classmates. Since you're in the back, it can hover by the back wall."

I smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Mr. Aizawa. I'll see you tomorrow." I walked out of the classroom, my fireball whizzing around me.

"Lucky," I snickered as I ran down to my shoe locker. Hopefully, this bag of stuff will fit there tomorrow morning.


	3. Chapter 3: USJ

I didn't realize a downside of being in a famous hero school would be the publicity, and the persistent reporters with nothing else better to do. The day after our fights, I noticed Midoriya surrounded by a swarm of them outside the school.

"Hey, you!" A female reporter said to him, "Can you tell us what it's like to work so closely with All Might?"

He waved his arms, "Um, sorry, I have to go to the–"

"Excuse me!" I shouted as I snatched Midoriya's bag and pulled him towards the school. The reporters yelled to get our attention, but I dashed away with Midoriya in tow in order to avoid the cameras. Once we were a safe distance away, I let go, and we walked normally.

"Thanks for that, Akiyama," Midoriya chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

I smiled. "Happy to help. Seemed like you were struggling back there."

"Yeah, I never know what to say to the reporters."

I shrugged. "I say nothing at all. They want to know about All Might, and I don't have anything vital to say about him. He's a great hero and a good teacher. Not worth standing around for and missing class. How else are we going to be pros if they prevent us from learning about it?" He nodded in agreement.

We got to class and settled in our seats. Once it was time to be quiet, Mr. Aizawa made his way to the podium.

"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, you guys. I saw the video feeds and went over each of your team's results. Bakugo." He turned to Bakugo. "You're talented. So don't sulk like a child about your loss, okay?"

He looked away. "Yeah, whatever."

"And Midoriya. I see the only way you won the match was by messing up your arm again. Work harder. And don't give me the excuse that you don't have control over your Quirk. That line's already getting old. You can't keep breaking your body while training here. But your Quirk will be really useful if you can get a handle on it. So show a little urgency, huh?"

Midoriya nodded and smiled. "Right."

Mr. Aizawa turned to me. "Akiyama, I know you're not fond of your Quirk, but if you want to be a hero, you have to learn to actually fight in combat, not letting everyone else do all the work." I sulked down in my seat, my face turning red. I didn't think I had to fight since Todoroki won before we even stepped foot in the building. But then again, I wouldn't want to fight Ojiro and Hagakure or any of my classmates.

"Yes, sir," I muttered and looked down.

Mr. Aizawa nodded. "Let's get down to business. Our first task will decide your future. You all need to pick a class representative."

Everyone sighed in relief, happy to be doing normal school things for a change.

Kirishima exclaimed, "Pick me, guys! I wanna be class rep!" Kaminari, Jiro, Aoyama, and Ashido also voiced their desires to be rep too. In fact, the majority of the class wanted to be the rep. It made sense – class rep was a good way to get noticed by agencies. I just wasn't ready to fight for the position.

Iida's shouting cut through the excitement. "Silence, everyone, please! The class representative's duty is to lead others. That's not something just anyone can do. You must first have the trust of every student in the classroom. Therefore, the most logical way to fill this position is democratically. We will hold an election to choose our leader!"

Kaminari responded, "Is this really the best idea?"

Tsu agreed. "We've only known each other a few days – how do we know who we can trust?"

Kirishima added, "Besides, everyone'll just vote for themselves."

Iida responded, "Most people will. But that means whoever does receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable person for the job." He turned to Mr. Aizawa. "It's the best way, right, sir?"

Mr. Aizawa – who had crawled back into his yellow sleeping back – muttered, "Do what you want. Just decide before my nap's over." And with that, he was asleep.

"Thank you for your trust!"

Quickly, we all cast our votes. Iida put up the results on the board. Midoriya got the most votes at 4 with Yaoyorozu got second place with 2.

"How did I get the most votes?" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Okay, you idiots!" Bakugo shouted, standing at his seat, "Who voted for him?"

"What, did you honestly think anyone was gonna vote for you?" Sero responded.

"What did you just say!" He yelled back.

"Hey," I whispered to Midoriya, "Good job!" He looked too stunned to respond. Iida seemed bummed out that no one voted for him.

Mr. Aizawa declared a terrified Midoriya as class rep, with Yaoyorozu as our deputy. "Really?" Midoriya asked at the front of the room. "Uh, it's not a mistake?"

Yaoyorozu sighed. "How'd this happen?"

Tsu smiled. "This might not be so bad."

Kirishima agreed. "Yeah, I can get behind Midoriya, I guess."

After morning classes, we all headed to lunch. I noticed Todoroki sitting by himself, so I walked up to him.

"Mind if I sit?" I asked. He looked up and me and shook his head. I sat down across from him. I watched him eat his food in silence.

"Who did you vote for?" I asked. "For the class rep?"

"Yaoyorozu," He replied, "She seemed the most capable to lead the class. More than Izuku Midoriya."

I shrugged. "Midoriya has the heart. It's kind of like All Might. Hard not to root for him."

"Hm," Was all he responded. We sat in silence for several minutes, and then he handed me a bag of chips. "Eat. I see you staring." I was hesitant at first, but when I realized he was serious, I quickly began munching on the chips before he could change his mind. "You know, if you told the school your situation, they can help. Fuyumi will start to notice I eat for two." I was quiet. "You haven't told the–" His words were cut off by a ringing bell.

"Warning," An announcer said, "Level Three security breach. All students, please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion."

"What the hell?" I asked. Suddenly, students started running for the door.

Todoroki grabbed my wrist. "Hoshi, let's go." He pulled me towards the door, weaving through all the frantic students. A crowd formed in the hallway, bottlenecking us from getting out.

"Ow!" I yelled as someone stepped on my foot, "This is going nowhere!" We watched as Kirishima and Kaminari drowned in the sea of chaos.

Suddenly, Iida emerged from the crowd, floating in the air. He pushed himself to the exit sign using his engines in some sort of somersault maneuver. He yelled to us, "Listen up, everything is okay! It's just the media outside. There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Everything's fine! We're UA students. We need to remain calm and prove we're the best of the best." Everyone took a moment to take deep breaths and relax. We eventually made it back to the classroom, though some of us were a bit bruised.

Midoriya and Yaoyorozu got up to the front of the class to talk, but Midoriya still looked terrified. "Um," He started, "Okay, so we need to figure out who the other class officers will be. But first, there's something that I wanna say. I've thought a lot about this. And I think that Tenya Iida should be our class rep!"

He took a deep breath. "He was able to capture everyone's attention and get us in line. So I believe that he should be the one leading our class from now on!"

I smiled. "I think it's hard to argue with that. I would have been trampled to death if it weren't for Iida."

Mr Aizawa groaned. "This is a waste of time. I don't care who the rep is, just hurry up."

Iida stood up. "If Midoriya is nominating me for this job, then I humbly accept. I pledge to carry out the duties of class rep to the best of my abilities."

We cheered him on in response, except for Yaoyorozu. She seemed bummed that she was still declared deputy.

Mr. Aizawa finally got out of his sleeping bag. "Today's training will be a little different. You'll have three instructors. Me, All Might, and another faculty member will be keeping tabs on you."

Sero raised his hand. "Sir! What kinda training is this?"

"Rescue," He replied. My eye widened, and I couldn't help but smile wide. Rescue is what I wanted to do; this was where I had to focus. "You'll be dealing with natural disasters, shipwrecks, stuff like that."

Kaminari smiled. "Disasters, huh? Sounds like we're in for a big workout."

"Totally!" Ashido exclaimed.

"Real hero stuff," Kirishima replied, "This is what separates the men from the boys."

Mr. Aizawa said, "Guys, I'm not finished yet. What you wear in this exercise is up to you. I know you're excited about costumes, but keep in mind that you haven't gotten used to them yet, and they might limit your abilities. This special training's at an off-campus facility, so we'll be taking a bus to get there. That's all. Start getting ready."

He walked out of the room. We hurried to grab our briefcases and hurried off to change. I contemplated not wearing my hero suit, but I have to get used to being barefoot. It'll toughen my feet. I left my mask behind though and used my regular eyepatch.

Outside, I stood with Tsu to wait for the bus. Iida blew a whistle once everyone was outside. "Gather around, Class 1-A! Using your student numbers, form two neat lines so we can load the bus efficiently." He blew the whistle again.

Ironically, the bus did not have the layout Iida had in mind, so he was disappointed when we all simply sat where we wanted to. I sat next to Midoriya, and our bench faced a distraught Iida. "The bus's open layout ruined my boarding strategy."

I smiled. "Iida, you're going to be okay."

Tsu responded, "If we're pointing out the obvious, then there's something I wanna say… about you, actually," She turned to Midoriya.

His eyes widened. "About me? What is it, Asui?"

"I told you to call me Tsu."

"Oh. Yeah, right."

She continued, "That power of yours. Isn't it a lot like All Might's?"

He yelped. "What? Really? You think so, huh? I never really thought about that. I guess it's kinda similar."

Kirishima replied, "Wait, hold on, Tsu. You're forgetting All Might doesn't hurt himself. That makes a huge difference. Still, I bet it's cool to have a simple augmenting-type a' Quirk. You can do lots of flashy stuff with it. My Hardening's super strong and can destroy bad guys in a fight, but it doesn't look all that impressive."

Midoriya smiled. "Oh, no way, I think it's really awesome looking. You're definitely pro material with a Quirk like that."

He laughed. "You really think so? Seems like it'd be easier to be a popular hero if I had somethin' flashier. Like Akiyama."

I crossed my arms and smiled. "I don't think my Quirk is that flashy."

Ashido laughed. "Well, that's because you don't show it off. If I had such a cute little fireball like you, I would show him off all the time."

Aoyama smiled. "My Navel Laser's got the perfect combination of panache and strength."

"But it's way lame if it gives you a stomachache, sweetie," Ashido responded, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Kirishima smiled. "Well if any of our classmates had pro Quirks, it's Todoroki and Bakugo." Bakugo noticed we said his name, but he looked out the window, ignoring us.

Tsu replied, "Sure, but Bakugo's always angry, so he'll never be that popular."

That made him snap. "Uh – What'd you say? I'll kick your ass!"

She smiled. "Ya see?"

I smiled. "She isn't wrong."

Kaminari smiled. "Y'know, we basically just met you. So it's kinda telling that we all know your personality is flaming crap mixed with garbage."

Bakugo turned his anger to him. "You're gonna regret the day you applied to this school, you loser!" Jiro, who unfortunately was sitting next to Bakugo, leaned slowly away from him to not be in his blast radius.

Yaoyorozu covered her mouth. "This is such a disgusting conversation."

Uraraka smiled. "Yeah, but it's kind of fun listening to them fight."

Mr. Aizawa cut it. "Hey, hey, we're here. Stop messing around."

"Yes, sir," We responded in unison, with Bakugo muttering "Whatever" from his seat. My fireball came back to me and rested on my shoulder.

We arrived at a white domed building, with someone dressed in a white padded suit waiting for us out front. I grinned widely because I recognized exactly who it was. Thirteen.

"Hello everyone!" They said to us once we filed out of the bus, "I've been waiting for you!" Everyone gasped, but Midoriya and I were clutching each other with tears. For once, we could agree on the love of a hero.

Thirteen continued, "I can't wait to show you what's inside!" We followed them into the dome, which looked like its own little world inside. There were mountains, collapsed buildings, a lake, and even a cute square with a fountain at the center. It was like an amusement park.

"A shipwreck. A landslide. A fire. A windstorm. Etc. I created this training facility to prepare you to deal with different types of disasters. I call it the Unforeseen Simulation Joint. But, you can call it USJ!"

Mr. Aizawa asked about All Might, but Thirteen replied quietly. In the end, Mr. Aizawa turned to us and said, "The clock's ticking. We should get started."

Thirteen replied, "Excellent. Before we begin, let me just say one thing. Well, maybe two things. Possibly three, four, or five."

"We get it!" We all responded, ready to get to training.

"Listen carefully. I'm sure you're aware that I have a powerful Quirk. It's called Black Hole. I can use it to suck up anything and turn it into dust."

I smiled. "Yeah, you've used Blackhole to save people from all kinds of disasters before, haven't you?"

They replied, "That's true, but my Quirk could also very easily be used to kill." We gasped. "Some of you also have powers that can be dangerous. In our superhuman society, all Quirks are certified and stringently regulated, so we often overlook how unsafe they can actually be. Please don't forget that if you lose focus or make the wrong move, your powers can be deadly. Even if you're trying to do something virtuous, like rescue someone. Thanks to Aizawa's fitness tests, you have a solid idea of your Quirk's potential. And because of All Might's combat training, you likely experienced how dangerous your powers can be when used against other people. Carry those lessons over to this class. Today, you're going to learn how to use your Quirks to save people's lives. You won't be using your powers to attack enemies or each other, only to help. After all, that's what being a hero is all about. Ensuring the safety of others."

They bowed. "That's all I have to say. Thank you so much for listening." We cheered in response. I knew everyone was listening to that speech, but it felt like Thirteen was talking to me. I wanted to be the hero to save others. Fighting, in my mind, should be to protect others from harm. A true hero wouldn't start a fight.

"Right," Mr. Aizawa said from the side, "Now that that's over–" He stopped because the lights in the dome started to flicker. All at once they went out. The fountain down at the square spit a couple of times, and from its water, a black hole emerged. From Mr. Aizawa's startled look, I instantly knew. Whatever was happening was not planned.

Instantly, a black fog creature with yellow slits for eyes appeared from the black hole, and from its shadow, a blue-haired man appeared.

Mr. Aizawa turned to us. "Stay together and don't move! Thirteen, protect the students!"

Kirishima looked over at the hole. "What the hell is that thing?" The blue-haired man walked out of the hole, and other people followed him. "Wait, has the training started already? I thought we were rescuing people."

"Stay back!" Mr. Aizawa yelled again. We saw him put on his yellow goggles – his signature to his hero costume. "This is real. Those are villains." We all began to shake. Real villains? Here? How?

The villains wanted All Might, but he wasn't here. Instead, they had us. "Maybe if I kill a few kids," The blue-haired man said, "Then he'll come out to play." At the sound of that, Mr. Aizawa's scarf billowed around him and his hair stood up. In an instant, he had become Eraser Head.

Kirishima shook his head. "What? Real villains? No way. How could so many of them get into a UA facility this secure?"

I took a deep breath to keep from shaking. "Yeah, Thirteen? Why aren't the alarms going off?"

"Good question," They responded, "I'm not sure."

"Is the entire campus under attack?" Todoroki asked, "Or is this their only target? Either way, if the alarm sensors aren't being triggered, then one of these villains must have a Quirk that's masking their presence here. They carefully chose this isolated facility as an entry point at a time when a class was being taught. They're fools for trespassing here, but they've thought this out. Whatever their plan, they must have a concrete objective in mind. But what is it?"

Mr Aizawa walked up to the stairs. "Thirteen, get them out of here. And alert the main campus. Actually, if they've got the ability to block our sensors, then they might be jamming our regular communications, too. Kaminari, try using your Quirk to contact the school."

"Yes, sir," He responded.

"What're you gonna do?" Midoriya asked, "You can't fight them on your own! There's too many of 'em. Even if you can nullify their Quirks, your fighting style's not suited for this. Your power works best in stealth and one-on-one fights. That's not gonna help with a group."

"You can't be a pro if you only have one trick. I'll leave it to you, Thirteen." He jumped down to fight the mass of villains. He took out three before even hitting the ground.

"Woah," Midoriya muttered, "He's holding them off. I guess I shouldn't have underestimated him."

I grabbed his wrist. "You can fanboy later. Let's go." We ran to catch up with the rest of the group, who was already running towards the door. Suddenly, the black hole villain popped up between us.

"There is no escape for you," It said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. We are the League of Villains. I know it's impolite, but we decided to invite ourselves into this haven of justice to say hello. And besides, isn't this a fitting place for All Might, the Symbol of Peace, to take his last breath? I believe he was supposed to be here today, and yet, I see no sign of him. There must've been some sort of change in plans we could not have foreseen." He spread out his arms. "Ah, well, in the end, I suppose it doesn't matter. I still have a role to play." Uraraka and I locked hands, unsure of what was about to happen. We were scared.

Thirteen had slowly undone one of their ports to unleash their black hole, but before they could release it, Bakugo and Kirishima lept towards the creature. Bakugo released a blast, which covered the area in dark smoke. Kirishima thought that would do something, but the creature didn't seem bothered at all. Suddenly, he unleashed his dark gas over all of us, not allowing any of us to see.

"Crap! What is this?" I could hear Kirishima yell. I felt Uraraka slip from my fingers, leaving me in the vortex by myself.

"Akiyama!" Shoji called. He had Sero and Ashido pinned under him, and he reached out a hand to me. I tried reaching it, but his hand disappeared.

Suddenly, I was falling, hurling towards the ground and landing in some dirt. I was dazed for a minute, but as I stood up, my fireball slipped out from under my loosened eyepatch and spun around me. "What are you doing?" I whispered, feeling my heart race. My fireball exploded multiple times like a small firework and dashed away from me. I was left dumbfounded. My fireball left me.

I quickly glanced around. I was still in the facility, but it seemed to be the landslide zone.

"Guys?" I asked, trying to get moving. My side felt sore, and I had a small limp.

"Hoshi!" I sighed as Todoroki walked up to me. "Are you injured? I saw your fireball fly off."

I shook my head. "I have no idea what happened. It just left."

"Well, calm down. You're shaking." He took my arm. "We won't get anywhere if you panic. You know that." I nodded. "Okay, let's go." He led me down the hill. I noticed he was steaming.

"How many have you taken down already?" I asked.

"Too many," He replied, "But, they weren't professional."

"Street thugs?"

He nodded. "But the ones at the center, watching Mr. Aizawa fight. Those are serious. They might have figured out a way to kill All Might."

I furrowed my brow. "Then… we have to make sure they're stopped."

Todoroki looked at me. "I thought you weren't a fighter, Hoshi."

I clenched my fist. "I'm… I'm not. But, I can't stand around if there's something I can do." I looked around, searching for my fireball. "I just… don't know where it went."

We continued on our way down the hill, eventually making it to the square. That's where we found the warp creature, the blue-haired man, and a giant creature. The creature was standing in a pool of blood with a body crumpled at the bottom of it.

"Mr. Aizawa!" I cried out, but Todoroki hushed me. We ran behind the fountain, and to our surprise, we saw Midoriya, Mineta, and Tsu on the opposite side of them. The villains saw them. The leader reached his hand out, grabbing Tsu's face. I had never seen her look scared until now. But whatever the villain wanted to do didn't work, and I guess Aizawa was still blocking his Quirk.

_He's still alive_, I thought, relieved.

The creature slammed Mr. Aizawa's face into the ground, and Midoriya used the opportunity to smash the leader. Sadly, the giant creature seemed to absorb any force he had. All seemed hopeless until the doors of the building crashed opened, and All Might appeared. He crashed down to the villains surrounding Mr. Aizawa and scared them into fleeing.

He gently picked up Mr. Aizawa and turned to the villains. Before anyone could react, he grabbed Midoriya, Mineta, and Tsu too. He dropped them softly on the floor.

"Uh, what the heck?" Mineta asked.

All Might gritted his teeth and looked around. "Get back to the entrance. And take Mr. Aizawa with you."

I clenched my fist. "We gotta do something, Shoto."

He shook his head. "You can't use your Quirk right now."

"I can't sit here and do nothing."

Todoroki sighed. "Fine, let's go." We began running towards them. By this point, All might was struggling to fight the creature. I could see it. I watched as Midoriya ran back to help All Might, but Bakugo beat him to it.

"Get out of my way, Deku!" He yelled. He punched the warp creature to the ground, and Todoroki took the opportunity to freeze the strong creature.

Todoroki and I stopped running. "One of your poorly trained thugs told me you're here because you think you can kill All Might," He told the villains. All Might took the opportunity to get out the monster's grip. He jumped to our side, but clutched his fist.

Midoriya gasped. "Are you okay?"

Kirishima went after the leader. He tried to kick him, but the leader was able to dodge. "Damn that would have been cool!"

Bakugo grinned. "Guess I found your body that time, you smokey bastard."

Todoroki said calmly, "The Symbol of Peace will not be defeated by delinquents like you."

Midoriya looked at us. "Kacchan! Everyone!" Tears welled up in his eyes, but he was able to wipe them off. We faced off against the blue-haired bastard.

"Kurogiri," The blue-haired guy said to the warp creature, "How could you let this brat get the best of you? You've gotten us into a real jam here."

Bakugo chuckled. "You got careless, you dumb villain. It wasn't hard to figure you out. Only certain parts of you turn into that smoking warp gate. You used that mist to hide your actual body as a kind of distraction. Thinking that made you safe! That's why we missed. But if you didn't have a body, you wouldn't be wearing this neck armor, right? You're not immune to physical attacks if they're well aimed." Kurogiri tried to move, but Bakugo blasted him again. "Don't move! You try anything funny, and I'll blow your ass up right now, you got it? They'll be cleanin' you up for weeks."

"Oh, that doesn't sound very heroic," Kirishima smiled.

I sighed. "I think he gets the picture, Bakugo."

Suddenly, the giant creature popped back up and broke Todoroki's restraints, even pulling his own arm off. We all gasped. "How is that thing still moving? He's all messed up." Midoriya asked.

The leader replied, "I didn't say that was his only Quirk. He also has super-regeneration. Nomu has been modified to take you on even at 100% of your power. He's basically a highly efficient punching bag that punches back." We all got back into fighting positions. "First, we need to free our method of escape. Get him, Nomu." The creature ran at Bakugo with inhuman speed. Without thinking, I pushed Bakugo out of the way, but All Might somehow grabbed me by the foot and took my place as a punching bag. I ended up on the ground next to Bakugo.

We gasped as we saw All Might recover from that blow. "These are kids, and you didn't hold back?"

"I didn't have much choice. He was threatening my companion. Besides, these kids are no angels. The plain-looking one? He tried to kill me with a maxed-out punch. What kind of 'hero' does something like that? You think you can get away with being as violent as you want if you say it's for the sake of others. Well, you know what, All Might? That pisses me off. Why do people get to decide that some violent acts are heroic and others are villainous? Casting judgement as to what's 'good' and what's 'evil'. You think you're the Symbol of Peace? Ha. You're just another government-sponsored instrument of violence. And violence always breeds more violence. I'll make sure the world understands that once you're dead."

All Might responded, "You're nothing but a lunatic. Criminals like you; you always try and make your actions sound noble. But admit it; you're only doing this because you like it. Isn't that right?"

Todoroki tightened his brow. "We've got them outnumbered."

Midoriya nodded. "And Kacchan found the mist guy's weakness."

"These dudes may act really tough, but we can take 'em down now with All Might's help." Kirishima added.

"Don't attack," All Might responded, "Get out of here."

Todoroki replied, "You would've been in trouble earlier if it weren't for us, remember? You need our help."

I placed a hand on his arm, realizing my mistake. "Maybe… we should back down, if we're just going to get in All Might's way."

"Akiyama is right," All Might responded, "Just sit back and watch a pro at work." He gave us a thumbs up.

The leader charged at us. Kirishima put his fists up. "Heads up. Looks like we're fighting afterall."

All Might and Nomu exchanged a punch, sending us all flying back. All Might gave more than 100% punching that thing, slowly reaching the creature's limit of what it could take. He threw Nomu around, beating him down. What we saw was what it meant to be a hero. That sometimes, you have to go beyond what you're capable of. He punched the Nomu so hard it went flying into the dome, crashing against it.

The guys around me were in awe, amazed at how All Might was able to beat him. All Might, emerging from the smoke, turned to the villains. "You've been bested, villains. Surrender. We all want to get this over with quickly." The leader didn't respond. "What's wrong? Not attacking me? Didn't you say you were going to clear this level earlier? Well, come and get me, if you dare."

I sighed. "This is… intense."

"As I expected," Todoroki said, "There's no reason for us to fight now. He'll handle this."

Midoriya didn't move. He kept looking at All Might. It caused me to look too. It seemed like there was steam coming off of him. And that made Midoriya nervous.

"What?" All Might asked again, "Are you scared?"

The leader started scratching violently, clearly agitated. Kurogiri called him "Tomura Shigaraki". Suddenly, some of the weaker villains regained consciousness. Kirishima suggested we fight the smaller villains to give All Might some space, but Midoriya hadn't moved.

"Midoriya," I said, and he jumped. I placed a hand on his shoulder. "What do you need?"

"Huh?" He managed to respond.

"There's something bothering you. How can I help?" Kurogiri and Shigaraki lunged at All Might, but Midoriya and I got in the way. Midoriya's legs broke on the way, so he couldn't move when Shigaraki held out his hand. I pushed Midoriya out of the way so my face was what he touched.

I wasn't scared. I am a hero; I risk myself to save others.

He grabbed onto my face, laughing maniacally. "Akiyama!" I heard Midoriya scream. Shigaraki laughed for a second, but then stopped. His hand clutched my face, but aside from my trembling, nothing came from it. I could feel a buzz from his fingertips, but it was only slightly uncomfortable.

"Wha– who are yo-" He couldn't finish the question because a bullet went through his hand. Suddenly, my fireball came back, brushing my face with its flames. I fell to the ground and rolled over to Midoriya, protecting him with my body. We looked over to see the other teachers of UA at the doorway. Even our principal was here.

"Sorry, everyone!" Principal Nezu exclaimed, "I know we're a bit late. But I got the teachers over here as fast as I could." Iida appeared as well. The villains tried to fight against the teachers, but these were pro heroes. They were no match for them. 13 tried to get the two leaders, but they escaped swiftly.

Midoriya groaned underneath me. "Midoriya!" I exclaimed, "Don't move. Here, this can–"

"No," He replied, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Akiyama, you should– " All of a sudden, All Might poofed in front of me to showcase a less muscular version of himself. Midoriya saw me looking and started screaming. All Might and I locked eyes, but he didn't flinch. It felt like an eternity in those seconds we looked at each other.

I tried to keep a polite composure and bowed. "Thank you for protecting me and my friends, All Might."

"Akiyama…" Midoriya replied.

"Midoriya! Akiyama! You guys alright?" Kirishima called, running up to us. Midoriya started to panic again. I jumped over Midoriya to Kirishima, placing a wall of fire between us and All Might.

"Hey, Kirishima! We're okay! Mostly. The teachers will help Midoriya – he's fine! Come on! We should get back to the others!" I began pulling him away from the wall.

"Uh, okay?" He responded and we ran towards the stairs. Todoroki and Bakugo caught up with us, and we all made our way back. Once we got to the front gate, I got a better look at Mr. Aizawa and 13. Both of them were in bad shape. I crumpled to my knees, feeling awful. Feeling like I could have done something. Instead, I was powerless. Soon, the cops let us out, and Tsu helped me out. That's where one of the detectives did a headcount.

"19," He said, "Everyone seems to be unharmed except for that boy whose legs were all messed up."

"Ojiro," Hagakure said, "I heard you were a really good fighter. I had no idea you were so strong!"

He smiled. "I didn't know I was the only one on my own. I survived using hit-and-run tactics. So where did you end up fighting, Hagakure?"

"The landslide zone!" She replied, "You wouldn't believe how strong Todoroki was. He's amazing!" She was there? I had no idea, and I didn't think Todoroki knew either.

"So, Akiyama," Shoji asked me, "How did you know to help Iida with the door? You weren't anywhere near the main entrance."

My stomach dropped. That's where the bastard was? Instead of with me. "Oh, yeah," I replied quietly, "It just… knew."

Sero laughed. "Damn, your fireball can do practically anything, can't it?" I crossed my arms and looked down, trying not to look as clueless as I felt. What did the fireball do at the front entrance? How did it help? How did it know to help? What the heck is this thing?

The detective cut in. "Let's go ahead and get these students back to the main campus. They've been through a lot. We don't need to question them right away."

"Detective," I asked. "What about Mr. Aizawa? And Thirteen?" He did not have an answer, but he called the doctor to give us one. It wasn't good. Mr. Aizawa suffered bad breaks in his arm, but the worst was that his orbital bones were injured badly. He might not have his full eyesight.

I covered my mouth. "Not his eyes…" Tsu placed her hand on my shoulder, and my fireball slowly fell. Ashido asked about Thirteen, and we found out they were actually pretty okay, all things considered. And All Might was okay too.

"What about Deku?!" Uraraka cried out.

"How's Midoriya?" Iida asked.

"Midori– Ah, Recovery Girl is taking care of him, too. He's fine." We all sighed in relief.

Uraraka smiled. "Oh, thank goodness."

"Now, let's get you back to class."

"Okay," We responded. Kirishima nudged me to go with him to the bus, but I pointed back to the building. Bakugo was still standing at the entrance.

"C'mon, man," He called, "We're goin' back to class now."

"Yeah, yeah. I heard him, you idiot." He responded. He came up to us without another word, and together, the three of us boarded the bus. It was quiet on the way back.

It wasn't until we were down the hall from the classroom that people started chatting. I kept quiet though. I couldn't stop thinking about Mr. Aizawa. I knew I could have done more, but instead, I did absolutely nothing. I just got myself almost killed instead. Twice.

Everyone filed back into the classroom to gather their things and change, but I couldn't step into the classroom. I stayed out in the hall. Uraraka saw me. "Akiyama? You okay?"

"I…" I stumbled with my words. "I have to go!" I ran down the hall, pushing through the doors to get to the stairwell. I climbed up the stairs, past the emergency exit, and ran up to the roof. I ran to the edge of the building, looking over the school grounds. I pulled out my fireball, my eye stinging from tears.

"What the hell was that!" I yelled at it, "We're supposed to work together, and you just… you _left me_!" I tried throwing it off the roof. "I could have protected them! I could have saved Mr. Aizawa. And Thirteen. And All Might!" It came back to me, and I threw it again. "I'm supposed to be the good one, now. Not the one who keeps screwing everything up!" I was sobbing. The fireball touched my finger and ignited my body. "I hate you! I wish you would leave me alone! I can be a hero without you!"

I crumbled to my knees, feeling my body start to burn. "Then, maybe everyone won't be scared of me." With the exhaustion, I passed out.

I woke up later that afternoon, still on the roof. I rubbed my eye and sat up. No one knew I was there. I was still in my hero costume.

I made my way back into the building, where I could hear a couple of clubs still going on. I quickly rushed to my classroom, where thankfully, the door was unlocked. I found my uniform still folded on my desk, but a new note was on top of it. It read:

_Hope you're okay. Text me when you get this. Ribbit~_

I sighed. "Thanks, Tsu." I changed out of my costume and into my street clothes. My fireball popped out of my head. I glanced at it. "Sorry," I muttered, "About what I said." It puffed and went back into my head. I took one last look at the room and made my way out to the street. Despite what happened, the day seemed to end just like any other.

The school was canceled the next day for obvious reasons. I took the opportunity to camp out in the library and use their computers to look up anything I could about the villains we met: Shigaraki and Kurogiri. The only things coming up were news about the attack at USJ. I slumped in my seat, defeated. I couldn't get over Shigaraki's expression. His red eye staring directly into mine. He seemed so surprised when nothing happened to my face.

And Midoriya looked so scared. He texted me, asking how I was doing. It was funny, considering he's the one who hurt his leg. He was always looking out for his classmates. I guess that's why I felt like I had to protect him. He seemed vital for our class to get through this. Whatever this was becoming.

We had to go back to school the next day. It felt weird, but at the same time, it was good to see my classmates again. Everyone seemed excited about the news story covering the attack. I pressed my face against my desk, not in the mood to relive it again.

Hagakure exclaimed in the front, "You guys! Did you watch the news last night?"

"Yeah," Ojiro replied.

"It was so cool that we got a few seconds of screen time. Though I bet nobody noticed me hanging out in the background."

"Probably not." Shoji responded.

Ojiro quickly added, "It is difficult to stand out when you're just gloves."

Kaminari leaned back in his chair. "We're totally big deals. Those news channels love us – we're basically celebrities."

Kirishima smiled. "Yeah, it's kinda crazy, right?"

Jiro rolled her eyes. "Get over yourselves. The hero course that pumps out pros was attacked, and that's what they cared about."

Sero leaned forward. "Who knows what woulda happened to us if the teachers hadn't showed up."

"Why'd you say that?" Mineta yelled, "I'm gonna pee myself just thinking about it."

"Oh, shut up!" Bakugo yelled at him, "Grow a pair, loser!"

I rubbed my forehead. "Do we have to start every morning with yelling?"

"Attention!" Iida yelled from the podium, "Homeroom class is about to begin! Everyone stop talking and take your seats." No one was out of their seat.

"Um," Kirishima replied, "We're all sitting."

"Yeah, you're the only one standing." Sero added.

"Dang it," He said sitting down in his seat. My fireball tried flying around him to make him feel better.

"Don't sweat it," Uraraka tried to reassure him, "Just keep your voice down. You're giving Akiyama a headache."

"Too late," I groaned, burying my face into my desk.

Ashido asked, "So, Tsu. Who do ya think is gonna teach class today?"

"No idea," She responded, Mr. Aizawa's still in the hospital recovering from his injuries." At that moment, the door opened. And Mr. Aizawa was standing in front of us. Well, most of him. He was mummified in bandages, with slings on both of his arms.

"Morning, class," He said in his usual, unenthusiastic way.

"Mr. Aizawa, what are you doing here?" Several people asked.

"Woah, what a pro," Kaminari muttered.

Iida raised his hand. "Mr. Aizawa, I'm glad you're okay!"

"You call that 'okay'?" Uraraka replied. I couldn't find any words. I couldn't even close my mouth. I watched as he limped towards the podium, and for some reason, I rose to my feet.

"Mr. Aizawa…" I made out, feeling myself shake a little. I could see everyone looking at me.

"Akiyama, sit down. Everyone, my well being is irrelevant." He stood in front of the podium. "What's more important is that your fight isn't over yet." I sat down.

"Our fight?" Bakugo asked.

"Don't tell me…" Midoriya muttered.

"Not more bad guys!" Mineta screamed.

Mr. Aizawa simply replied, "The UA Sports Festival is about to start."

"Yes!" Kirishima yelled. The rest of the class seemed more upset that they were tricked. "Let's go kick some ass!"

"Wait a second," Kaminari cut in, pushing Kirishima's face.

"Is it really such a good idea to hold the sports festival so soon after the villains snuck inside?" Jiro asked.

Ojiro agreed. "They could attack once we're all in the same place."

Mr. Aizawa sighed. "Apparently, the administration thinks this is a good way to show that the threat has been handled, and our school is safer than ever. Plus, they're beefing up security compared to past years. This event is a huge opportunity for all students at UA. It's not something we can cancel because of a few villains."

Mineta replied, "Uh, I'm sorry, but why not? It's just a sports festival!"

Midoriya turned around. "Huh? Mineta, don't you know how important this competition is?"

"Of course I do! I just don't wanna get murdered."

Mr. Aizawa continued, "Our sports festival is one of the most watched events in the entire world. In the past, everyone obsessed over the Olympic games. But then Quirks started appearing. Now, the Olympics have been drastically reduced in terms of scale and viewership. For anyone who cares about competition, there's only one tournament that matters. The UA Sports Festival."

Yaoyorozu nodded. "That's right. And top heroes everywhere will be watching. This is where you get scouted."

"Sure, unless you're dead," Mineta muttered.

Kaminari smiled. "She's right. After graduating, a lot of people join pro agencies as a sidekick."

"Yeah, but that's as far as some people go," Jiro replied with no enthusiasm, "They missed their chance to go indie and stay eternal sidekicks. Actually, that's probably where you're headed. You're kinda dumb." That crushed Kaminari a little.

Mr. Aizawa nodded. "It's true that joining a famous hero agency can garner you greater experience and popularity. That's why the festival matters. If you wanna go pro one day, then this event could open the path for you. One chance a year. Three chances in a lifetime. No aspiring hero can afford to miss this festival. That means you better not slack off on your training."

"Yes, sir!"

"Class is dismissed." Mr. Aizawa looked at me. "Akiyama, talk with me in the hall." I nodded and rose from my desk. As everyone began chatting, I followed Mr. Aizawa out the door to the open hall. There were clouds in the sky. Once I closed the door behind me, Mr. Aizawa turned around to face me. I looked down.

"I'm sorry, sir," I whispered, "I should have done something."

"Do you say that in the sense that you want to become stronger or braver?" I looked up at him. "We had security cameras in order to review your work. When we were going over the villains' actions, I noticed your fireball left you rather quickly. You were, for lack of better words, Quirkless for the entirety of the USJ attack.

"And yet, you dove twice in front of the villain in order to save your friends. I don't know why Shigaraki's Quirk didn't work with you, but I imagine it's not settling well with him. He will see you as a threat, and you need to be ready. You need to train."

I pulled at my fingers. "I… I don't know if training will help me fight, sir. My Quirk – it's too unstable. I'm too unstable. Look what happened. It hid"

He grunted. "Do you know what your fireball did when it left you? It went looking for the other students. I watched it. I could see it counting. It opened the front door just enough for Iida to get back to campus. Your fireball isn't the problem. Your confidence in yourself is. But we're going to fix that. Starting today, you will train with me every evening. Call it a club activity if you want. We will train, and you will succeed at the Sports Festival. And…" He leaned down. "I won't tell the school board about your housing situation. As long as you promise to not cause any trouble."

_Shit._

I bowed. "I would be most honored, sir. Thank you."

He chuckled. "Don't thank me yet. We haven't even gotten started."

After Literature with Cementos, Kirishima shared his feelings about the tournament. "That villain stuff sucked, sure. But I'm pumped for these games!"

Sero nodded. "We put on a good show, and we're basically on the road to being pros!"

Tokoyami agreed, "We get so few chances; we have to make the most of this." I walked over to Shoji's desk and sat on it.

Kaminari sighed. "Shoji, you're so lucky. People are bound to notice your unique Quirk."

"Sure, but what matter is that I show them how useful I can be."

Jiro held back a laugh. "No doubt you'll make a scene, too."

I threw my fireball at Jiro. "Oh, come on! Kaminari's Quirk is… is really useful." I couldn't keep my laughter hidden because Jiro told me all about how Kaminari gets a little stupid when he uses his Quirk too much. She joined in on the laughter, so Kaminari ended up glaring at both of us.

My fireball rested in Shoji's hand. "Your fire always amazes me, Akiyama. I could look into it forever."

Jiro smiled. "You should name it."

"Name it?" I asked. "Why would I name it?"

She shrugged. "It's a good Quirk. I don't know why you're so against it."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll call it... Gaichu."

Shoji looked at me. "'Pest'?"

"It's _extremely_ fitting."

"I'm going to do my best!" Uraraka screamed from the other side of the room, and Iida and Midoriya cheered her on. She turned to the rest of us and screamed, "I said, I'm going to do my best!" She held up her fist in triumph.

"Woo.." We all sort of responded, confused. We raised our fists in solidarity, though we had no context of what's going on.

"Is… she okay?" I whispered to the group. Soon, it became time to go down to the cafeteria for lunch. As I followed my class out the room, Mr. Aizawa walked up to me.

"With me, Akiyama." He said and turned around.

"Oh, okay," I turned around and waved to my friends, "I'll see you after lunch." I followed him to a conference room, where meetings were usually held between teachers. We walked in, and I immediately smelled food. I noticed there was a tray of food from the cafeteria in front of one of the chairs.

"Sit. Eat." He ordered. I didn't argue, but I felt weird eating in front of my teacher. It seemed like I was in trouble, but then again, that's just the vibe Mr. Aizawa gave off.

He sat across from me. "I know you don't eat lunch. So, from now on, I'll sponsor your lunch."

I almost choked on my food. "Sir, I can't agree–"

"It's for your training," He cut in. "Good diet will help you fight. Now," He leaned forward, "Tell me everything you know about your Quirk."

As the day came to an end, we got all our stuff together to head out. Uraraka tried to walk out of the classroom, but instead she exclaimed, "U-um, why the heck are you all here?" I looked up from my desk to see a large group of students surrounding our door, trying to peer inside. Gaichu puffed in embarrassment.

Iida asked, "Do you students have some sort of business with our class?"

"Why are you blocking our doorway?" Mineta asked, "I won't let you hold us hostage!"

Bakugo walked up to the door calmly. "They're scouting out the competition, idiots. We're the class that survived a real villain attack." Mineta freaked out, because who knew what Bakugo was going to do.

"Let's hope he doesn't explode on anybody," I whispered to Midoriya, "I'm in no mood to clean up his mess."

Bakugo stopped in front of the crowd. "At least now you know what a future pro looks like. Now move it, extras." I slapped my forehead as Midoriya and Uraraka freaked out.

Iida exclaimed, "You can't walk around calling people 'extras' just because you don't know who they are!"

"So this is Class 1-A," Someone from the crowd replied, "I heard you guys were impressive, but you just sound like an ass." A taller guy with tired eyes and long, spiky purple hair walked up to the front of the crowd. "Is everyone in the hero course delusional, or just you?"

Oh, no. He's asking for it. Bakugo began to shake with anger. "How sad to come here and find a bunch of ego maniacs. I wanted to be in the hero course, but like many others here I was forced to choose a different track. Such is life. I didn't cut it the first time around, but I have another chance. If any of us do well in the sports festival, the teachers can decide to transfer us to the hero course. And they'll have to transfer people out to make room.

"Scouting the competition? Maybe some of my peers are, but I'm here to let you know that if you don't bring your very best I'll steal your spot right from under you. Consider this a declaration of war." The guy and Bakugo locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity, but then another student started barging down the hall.

"Hey, you! I'm from Class 1-B next door to you! We heard you fought some villains, and I came to see if that was true. But you're just a bunch of brats who think you're better than us!" I slouched. Everyone hated us. Fantastic. "Talk all you want! It'll just be more embarrassing when you're KO'd." Bakugo began to walk away. "Don't you ignore me!"

Kirishima asked Bakugo, "Dude, where are you going? You gotta say something. It's your fault they're all hating on us, Bakugo."

He turned to us. "These people don't matter. The only thing that's important is that I beat them." And with that, he walked away through the crowd, much to the disappointment of the guy from 1-B.

Kirishima clenched his fist. "I hate that that was such a manly exit."

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't that great."

Tokoyami nodded. "We have to beat them. He wasn't wrong."

Kaminari protested, "Yeah, sure, but this sucks! He made us everyone's enemies."

I shrugged. "It's not like we were all going to be best friends during this." I walked up to the crowd. "Now if you all would excuse me, I have places I need to be." Gaichu exploded into a larger fireball, pushing past the crowd to make room for me. People awed at my fire, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be out of there. I needed to train. The Sports Festival was on its way.


End file.
